Bonnie’s Comments (group member since Aug 19, 2024)

Bonnie’s comments from the 5183 Fall 2024 Information Resources and Services for Children group.

Thayer, E.L. (1888). Casey at the bat. In L.B. Hopkins, Extra innings: Baseball poems. (pp. 15-16). Harcourt, Inc.

The highs and lows of America’s favorite pastime are condensed into a single at bat to decide the fate of the local Mudville baseball team.

One of the first reasons I would recommend this poem for use with a group of children is because of the subject matter. It can be quite difficult to get kids interested in poetry, especially male students. Even though this poem is from the late-1800s, it revolves around a popular sporting event which can go a long way to bringing in male students. It is also a poem that is full of suspense and really rich imagery, with a fairly simple AABB rhyme scheme throughout. I would use this poem to teach the idea that poetry can be used to tell a vivid story. Throughout the poem, the author builds suspense for the audience before revealing the ultimate fate of Casey and the Mudville nine at the very end.

Miller, J. (2023) Rare birds. Union Square Kids.

Eleven-year-old Graham has spent a lot of time in hospital waiting rooms due to his mom’s heart condition. But when they travel to Florida for a life-saving transplant, he meets fellow hospital kid Lou, and they set off on the birding adventure of a lifetime.

I think this book does accurately describe life for children and families dealing with severe health issues. Graham only has his mom as his father has already passed away, and he takes on both a lot of responsibility and worry for his mom. He doesn’t get a lot of time to make friends or be a kid. I think children can handle quite a lot of reality depending on the way it’s presented. Ultimately, I think it’s important for children to be able to find books that they can relate to and see themselves in. Every child may not have a parent waiting for a heart transplant, but many children may have a parent or family member with cancer or any other type of health issue. I think that children that are going through serious life experiences deserve literature that helps them process that.

Brown, P. (2016). The wild robot. Little Brown and Company.

After a shipwreck, Roz the Robot awakens on an island uninhabited by humans. She quickly has to learn to adapt to “living” on an island, and getting along with the creatures of the island.

This book is set on a remote and wild island. The time period is somewhat indeterminate, but is probably modern day as the main character is a robot, and other things (like container ships) are briefly mentioned. The setting is a huge part of this particular story. In the beginning, Roz has to learn how to get along on the island. She learns a lot about the different terrains that exist there, and how these different areas are home to different types of wildlife. Apart from Roz, all of the main characters of the book are animals. Eventually Roz learns to communicate with them, and from that point on they really are a mirror for society. The animals are afraid of Roz at first because she is different, but over time they learn to accept her as she is able to help them survive.

Muñoz Ryan, P. (2020). Mañanaland. Scholastic Press.

All Max wants is to make his town’s fútbol team, and learn about his mother who left when he was very young. But when a family secret comes to light, and Buelo's stories start to sound more like fact than fiction, Max will have to decide if there are some things that are more important.

This story takes place in a fictional world. Max lives in a relatively peaceful country, but the neighboring country of Abismo is in turmoil. Max soon finds out that his family are involved with a network of guides that lead the oppressed fleeing Abismo to safety. So much about Max’s character and journey are “true.” He is a boy that wants to be given more trust and responsibility, and he doesn’t understand why his dad is so protective. All he wants is to make the town’s fútbol team. Once he leaves home (unbeknownst to his family) to lead a small girl to safety, he learns that the world is not quite what he thought it was. He learns that not all people are inherently good and want to help others like his family. There is so much more I could say about what makes this story “true.”

Seifert, C. (2017). The factory girls: A kaleidoscopic account of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. Zest Books.

A harrowing account of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire with background about the political climate that allowed it to happen, framed by stories of the women and girls that survived the tragedy… and some that did not.

K: I did not know a lot about the tragedy going into reading this book. I was aware that it happened. I also knew that it was one of the more important events leading to more rights and protections for workers. Outside of that I did not have much background knowledge.

W: Through reading this book, I wanted to learn more about what caused the fire. I was also interested in learning more about the aftermath of the fire and the trial that came after.

L: After reading this book I learned so much that I was not expecting to. I learned a lot about the corruption of the Gilded Age. While the fire didn’t happen until after the Gilded Age, the author did a good job of explaining why many of the belief systems around immigration and unskilled labor that contributed to this tragedy, had a background that was established in the Gilded Age.

Billet, J. (2017). Catherine’s war. HarperAlley.

A poignant graphic novel about a young Jewish girl in France who trades in her identity to survive World War II. Along the way, she learns to see the world through the viewfinder of her camera.

I think this book has great potential to appeal to American children for a couple of reasons. First of all, it is presented as a graphic novel which is a very popular format. Also, the setting of the book is France during World War II. Books set during World War II have been popular at this age level for the past several years. I think that American Children can relate to this book because it is a universal story of survival. The main character, Rachel, has to give up almost everything, including her own name, in order to survive the Nazi’s in France. She is moved several times, and has no news of her parents. While war may not necessarily be a reality to many students, being removed from parents and shuffled to many different places may be.

Rumford, J. (2007). Beowulf: A hero’s tale retold. Houghton Mifflin Company.

An illustrated reimagining of one of the great Old English epic poems featuring fearsome monsters and a strong-hearted hero.

The source note for this book was very well done. It could have been displayed more prominently as a source note at the end of the book, but it was quite detailed nevertheless. This source note fell firmly into category #2: The well made source note. In my opinion it even at times crossed over into category #1: The model source note. A lot of detail about the history of this legend and its origins was given, as well as its rediscovery in the 1700s. The author also included extensive notes about the Old English language that it was originally recorded in and some of the words that survive from that language today. The only thing that would improve this source note, in my opinion, would be the inclusion of information about what the author changed or did not change from the original epic poem.

Dunrea, O. (2002). Gossie & Gertie. Houghton Mifflin Company.

Gossie and Gertie are best friends that do almost everything together. Gertie follows Gossie everywhere… most of the time.

This was a really simple picture book in the easy-to-read category. It is mainly suggested for ages five to eight, so this is a great book for very early readers. The sentence structure is very simple. The word choice is also very easy for a beginning reader. One of the reasons I think this book is so effective for beginning readers is because the illustrations are quite literal, and go along directly with the text. The simplicity of the sentences are easy for even the smallest of readers to understand and learn to read.

(I also read Penny and Her Marble and The Princess in Black.)

1. Boynton, S. (2005). Belly button book. Workman Publishing Company.

2. This board book by Sandra Boynton is all about belly buttons (specifically hippopotamus belly buttons).

3. I was unfamiliar with the author and her art style before reading this board book. I think it is a fantastic style for babies and toddlers. I would describe her art style as quite adorable and childlike. The illustrations are very simple and easy for young children to understand and they coordinate well with the words on the page. The first line of the book is “This tiny hippopotamus has something small to say…” After we, the readers, are told to listen quietly, this little hippo with a prominent belly button says “Bee bo!” in small text to match their size. Later in the book we learn this is how Hippos say “belly button.” It was just a really fun book for me to read as an adult, and I think that small children would really enjoy reading it with their adults.

Barnes, D. (2017). Crown: An ode to the fresh cut. (G. James, Illus.). Bolden Books.

Ezra Jack Keats Book Award, Winner, 2018
Coretta Scott King Book Award, Honor, 2018
Caldecott Honor Book, 2018

A trip to the barbershop and a fresh cut can be an especially significant event in the lives of African American children.

I believe this book was very deserving of the awards that it received. This book celebrates the connection that the African American community, specifically children, have with their hair. Many times this can be something children struggle with during their formative years. In this book the author's purpose is to encourage African American children to take pride in their hair, instead of letting the world make them feel like it's something to be ashamed of. I would recommend this book to a child because children of all races and backgrounds can feel embarrassed of things they should be celebrating. Books can make it ok for children to take pride in themselves.